National Council Auditions

Application Information

Applicants may choose to enter any District audition across the country regardless of whether they are a resident of the area. District winners must compete in the Region Finals of the Region in which they were District winners. Because we allow singers to audition in the National Council District of their choice, there will be certain unavoidable instances when a panel includes a judge with a connection to one or more contestants. While we work to avoid this situation, please be assured that judges are required to recuse themselves from deliberations about singers with whom they have previously worked.

Application deadlines for the National Council Auditions are determined by local Districts and Regions. Please refer to the Regional Contact Information section for the audition dates and deadlines for your area. District auditions usually occur October through February with the winners advancing to the Region Finals, which are generally held during the same months. The National Semi-Finals and Grand Finals Concert will take place in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House in the spring on the following dates:

For information about audition dates & deadlines and who to contact in your area, please refer to the Regional Contact Information section of this site.

Please contact the National Council office with any questions at:

The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
Lincoln Center
New York, New York 10023
Telephone: 212-870-4515
Fax: 212-870-7648
E-mail: ncouncil@metopera.org 
 

Applications must include the following

• Completed application form and Governing Regulations form with candidate's signature.  Unsigned applications will not be accepted.
• Photocopy of birth certificate or other legal proof of age such as a driver’s license or passport.
• Non-refundable application fee of $30.00 (U.S. Funds only) in the form of a check made out to MONC/YOUR DISTRICT. Please confirm with your local contact person how you should make out your check.
• A résumé and (optional) 8X10 photo.
• Foreign applicants (those who are not citizens of the United States or Canada) must provide proof of one-year residency or proof of full-time enrollment in a college or university in the United States or Canada.

Please retain a copy of your completed application, including the signed Governing Regulations, for your records.

Where to send your application:

Please send your completed application to the appropriate Region or District contact person listed under Regional Contact Information. Do not send your application to the National Council Auditions office at the Metropolitan Opera. Your application will not be accepted at that location.

Recordings and videotapes may not take the place of a live audition. Please do not include them with your application.

Downloadable Application:

You may download the 2011-2012 MONC Application, which you may read and print inAdobe Acrobat Reader. Please note that this application is formatted to print on letter size (8 1/2 x 11") paper.

National Council Auditions

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants for the 2011–12 season of auditions must be within the following ages:
20–30 years old for all voice types from August 1, 2011, through July 31, 2012

*Please note that for the 2011–12 season, your birth date must fall on or between August 1, 1981 – July 31, 1991, in order for you to be eligible to audition.

1. Applicants should demonstrate operatic potential and should have musical training and background. Applicants must be able to sing in more than one language and show artistic aptitude.
2. Citizens of the United States of America and Canada are eligible to audition. Foreign applicants must show proof of one-year residency or proof of full-time enrollment in a college or university in the U.S. or Canada.
3. The District and Region auditions require five arias of the singer's choice consisting of contrasting languages and styles. At the national levels of competition, singers only offer four arias.